Christmas
by wild-springflower
Summary: Just a short one-shot about our two favorite characters! Jane and Lisbon! on Christmas... obviously! i had planned to post this yesterday, but things got in the way! no language or anything inappropriate! slight JISBON i guess. ENJOY!


**Hey! Just saying hello and Merry Christmas! Sry I didn't get this up yesterday... I have another Christmas story coming up, maybe I'll get it finished before New Years. Just if you're interested its called "Merry Christmas My Ass" and it is a Mentalist fic. Btw, this is my FIRST Mentalist fic, so please, be gentle! reviews are always appreciated! **

Jane let out a sigh, flopping onto the couch that was unofficially his. They had finally closed a particularly difficult case; just in time for Christmas.

Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt had all gone home to their families; Jane and Lisbon were the only ones left.

Lisbon was finishing up some paperwork when she noticed Jane laying on the couch. "No plans?"

He shook his head and Lisbon went back to work.

About ten minutes later Lisbon had finished her paperwork and gathered her things. She emerged from her office, surprised to find Jane still in his spot on the couch. "Jane aren't you going home?"

Again the only reply she got was a shake of his head.

"Is something wrong?" Lisbon set her bag down and walked over to the leather couch.

Jane shook his head once more, but the soft sniffle Lisbon heard afterwords gave him away at once.

"Jane?"

Patrick finally looked up, the wet teat streaks on his face glistening in the dim light. "I thought you'd gone home." He said quietly wiping the tears away.

Lisbon shrugged, "I don't have anyone special waiting so its no big deal." After a moment of silence Lisbon sat down next to Jane, looking him in his tear filled eyes. "Jane, what's wrong And don't say nothing cause obviously something in wrong."

Jane sniffed again, a sad smile spreading the width of his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But Lisbon, I'm fine." Even as he said this Jane's voice cracked and tears began to flow from his eyes once more. He quickly looked at the ground.

Lisbon raised an eyebrow in doubt, "Jane..."

But the rest of her words stopped dead in her throat as Jane raised his head and looked her in the eyes.

Lisbon didn't know what she had expected, but the distraught man before her sent a shock through her entire body. Tears streaked Jane's face, his mask that he always wore crumbling right before her.

Lisbon didn't know what she should say, what she **could** say to make Jane feel better. "I'm sorry." Didn't cut it, "it'll be OK" just sounded like a line straight out of a stupid movie. So instead of words Lisbon decided that silence was better, and instead of telling Jane how sorry she was, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jane didn't seem taken-aback by Lisbon's actions at all, he didn't even hesitate to wrap his hands around her waist and pull her close.

They sat like this for a while, the only sound in the room were Jane's quiet sobs.

"Jane," Lisbon whispered, the hug between them remained unbroken. "Purely as a friend I am inviting you to come to my place and spend Christmas with me."

"OK." Jane nodded, not trusting himself to say anything more.

Neither of them moved.

After what seemed like an eternity Jane had his breathing back under control. He pulled away from Lisbon, retreating back into his mask he wore so well.

Anyone entering the room at this moment wouldn't have believed that Jane had just been crying if Lisbon had caught the entire thing on video and showed it to them.

"Well," Jane said standing, a smile playing across his face, "are we going to you house? No one should spend Christmas alone."

Lisbon smiled slightly, "OK, lets go." She stood and led the way to the waiting elevator doors.

As the sliding elevator doors shut in front of them Jane turned to Lisbon and smiled, "Hey Lisbon?"

"Yeah?" She said, looking into his deep, blue eyes.

"Merry Christmas!"

Lisbon stopped, observing her friend closely. She knew his story, but she could never understand what the death of Jane's wife and child had done to him, what it was **still** doing to him.

But what Lisbon **did** understand was that Jane needed someone. Someone to watch out for him, and care for him. Someone that, Lisbon hoped, she and her team members could be. Because if Jane had people in his life, people that he cared for and people that cared for him, he might, just might, be able to forgive himself.

"Merry Christmas Jane."


End file.
